Thursday, April 22, 2010

William Cullen Bryant High School

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cullen_Bryant_High_School

William Cullen Bryant High School, or Bryant High School for short, is a secondary school located in Queens, New York City, New York, United States serving grades 9 through 12. It is named in honor of William Cullen Bryant, an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post. He is most known for his work as one of the creators of Central Park in Manhattan, New York.

As of 2008, the school principal is Mr. Aaron Perez. Approximately 3,200 students are enrolled. The ethnic make-up of the school is 47% Hispanic, 29% Asian, 17% White, and 9% African American. The school has a relatively low graduation rate of 71.3% and an attendance rate of 88.8%[1]

The school in popular cultureWilliam Cullen Bryant was the school in the popular film A Bronx Tale. Robert DeNiro visited the school.[citation needed]An episode of the hit TV show Ugly Betty was shot in the school's lunch room. The episode featured Lindsay Lohan who also visited the school. The episode was called "Granny Pants".[

Notable alumniWinifred Lenihan (1898–1964), stage actress and director who played Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw's play Saint Joan on its debut in 1923.Ethel Merman (1908–1984), star of musical comedies on Broadway and in Hollywood, was born in Astoria and graduated from Bryant. The school's auditorium was named the Ethel Merman Theater in 1989 during it's centennial celebration.Veronica Gedeon (1917–1937), Long Island City native, commercial model (person), 1937 New York City murder victim.Billy Loes, former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the World Series, winning for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, was born in the area and attended Bryant High School. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles and the San Francisco Giants.Richard Kline (1944– ), played "Larry Dallas" on classic ABC-TV sitcom "Three's Company". He also performed on Broadway in "City of Angels" and is a member of the Lincoln Center Repertory Company.Joel Klein, New York City Department of Education Chancellor